News
General Manager - Western Australia Update June 2026
Published Wed 03 Jun 2026
The latest update from Australian Sailing's WA General Manager – Kate Wearn.
General Update
Welcome to the June update, and congratulations to all Clubs, Associations and DSCs on a successful 2025/26 summer sailing season.
The arrival of winter and end of the summer sailing season does not necessarily correspond with the slowing down of activity for many Clubs, with prize-giving ceremonies, closing days, winter series and other Club activation events taking place across the state.
Likewise, at Australian Sailing we continue to fill our calendars with the delivery of courses, visits to our Clubs and other engagement opportunities and preparation for the WA Sailing Summit, Training In Focus Live, WA Sailing Awards and Zhik Youth Sail WA.
Since the last update, we are very excited and proud to welcome Ord River Sailing Club to the Australian Sailing affiliated Club network. Located in Kununurra, in the Kimberley Region of WA, the Club held its first Discover Sailing Day on Sunday 10 May, which saw 56 people from the local community participate. We look forward to working with the Club as it continues its activation, growing membership and delivering sailing opportunities for the local community.
We are equally excited to see Carnarvon Yacht Club, in the Gascoyne Region, accredited as a Discover Sailing Centre last week. The Club possesses a strong connection within the Town, and can now facilitate opportunities for local people and school students to develop skills, confidence and a lifelong love of sailing via Australian Sailing programs including Tackers and SailLAB.
Congratulations to these two regional Clubs on these fantastic achievements. The support and opportunities for regional Clubs in Western Australia is made possible thanks to the WA Government, and their support via the Regional Servicing Grant program.
Closer to Perth, in mid-May we hosted a Sailing Administrators’ and Discover Sailing Centre Principals’ Forum in the office, which saw 20 people join us in the office or online to hear important updates from Australian Sailing and engage in networking and information sharing.
Winter sees an increase in the delivery of Australian Sailing Coach, Instructor and Officials courses, with a Keelboat Instructor, Sailing Coach and Regional and National Race Officer course all run during May. Please see our schedule of courses below for your next opportunity to become accredited.
We are looking forward to delivering our major community events within the next few months, including the WA WA Sailing Summit, Training In Focus Live, WA Sailing Awards and Zhik Youth Sail WA. Please see further details below.
Finally, you may have seen the recent correspondence regarding the future of Yachting Western Australia, please see the information detailed below and do not hesitate to reach out, should you have any questions.
Thank you to Jade Lane and Tait Kunzli, who are the driving force on the ground, achieving great outcomes across the State, from Kununurra to Esperance.
Yachting Western Australia
On Monday 4 May Club and Class Association Officials, and then the wider WA sailing community were notified of the future plans of Yachting Western Australia, via the notice HERE.
As noted, the Board of Yachting Western Australia have concluded that Yachting WA no longer needs to exist as a separate entity, and therefore proposes de-registration as an Incorporated Association. Should this Resolution be passed at a future Special General Meeting, the YWA Board would then become the Western Australian Regional Advisory Committee for Australian Sailing, a sub-committee of the Australian Sailing Board. This step has been taken in every Australian State and Territory, except for the Northern Territory, since the adoption of the One Sailing management model in 2016.
The follow supporting Explanatory Memorandum, The Why to De-Registration and Frequently Asked Questions explanatory documents, share the background and information on this decision, and process.
It is important to note that the support and engagement that currently exists in Western Australia, via the local Australian Sailing team of Kate Wearn, Jade Lane and Tait Kunzli, supported by the wider Australian Sailing operational team, will not be impacted.
We encourage all Clubs to ensure up to two representatives attend the Information Session on 23 June. Please RSVP your attendance HERE. Please note that registration in advance is required, and limited to a maximum of two people per Club.
Furthermore, as detailed in the notice, we encourage everyone to have their say on the proposed Expenditure Plan, which will see the Yachting WA cash reserves spent in WA, to benefit the WA sailing community. Please complete the survey HERE.
WA Sailing Awards – Nominations Open
Nominations are now open for the 2026 WA Sailing Awards, an opportunity for all Clubs and Associations to recognise outstanding achievements and contributions to the sailing community over the past year.
Please view all information on the Awards HERE, and submit nominations by Monday 3 August.
The WA Sailing Awards evening will be a celebration of sailing in our State, taking place on Friday 11 September at Fremantle Sailing Club. Please RSVP your attendance HERE.
All winners of the WA Sailing Awards will become finalists for the Australian Sailing Awards, to be announced on 30 October 2026.
WA Sailing Summit
We look forward to welcoming Clubs and Class Associations from across WA to the WA Sailing Summit in 2026, to be held at Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club on Saturday 25 July.
Attendance is free of charge, with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea provided. Registrations are now open HERE.
The WA Sailing Summit provides a great opportunity for Clubs and Classes to share information and ideas, and learn the latest from Australian Sailing on new initiatives, resources, and projects. Hear from content experts as well as those within Clubs, Class Associations and Discover Sailing Centres who have a great idea, resource or success story to share.
The agenda has now been published, and is available HERE. Guest presenters in attendance include Australian Sailing CEO Malcolm Page, President Shevaun Bruland, Head of Sport Development & Growth, Sarah Ogilvie and a number of special guest presenters to be announced soon, from our local community.
Agenda topics include the Participation Plan for Sailing in Australia, SailLAB, Child Safeguarding, Mercury Marine, Q&A opportunities and an Australian Sailing update.
Training In Focus – LIVE
This ever-popular event for Instructors and DSC Principals is back this year, to be held on Saturday 29 August at Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Again, registration is free, with all food included. Register today HERE.
This practical, in-person workshop provides an opportunity to connect with other instructors and centre leaders, share ideas and explore ways to strengthen training programs and participation at your Club or DSC.
The day will include a mix of practical sessions, facilitated discussion and peer learning, with contributions from industry experts, Senior Instructors, Chief Instructors and Australian Sailing staff. Participants will gain practical ideas, coaching techniques and program insights that can be applied directly within their own training environments.
2026 Training Calendars
Our 2026 training calendars for Coaches, Instructors and Officials are available to view. Winter is a great time to gain or upskill your qualifications, with a number of courses on offer in Perth metro, and regional locations.
Please search for an Instructor, Coach or Officials course, via our page here.
Please note, there are opportunities for Officials to upskill, with Regional and National level Race Officer, Umpire and Judge courses scheduled.
Zhik Youth Sail WA
Save the date for Zhik Youth Sail WA – Saturday 26 September to Thursday 1 October 2026, at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club.
Registrations will open next month, with an exciting line-up of coaches to be announced. For further information, please view the Zhik Youth Sail WA website.
WA Local Sporting Stars Volunteer Recognition Program
Volunteers are the heartbeat of any community sporting organisation.
The WA Local Sporting Stars Volunteer Recognition Program (Local Sporting Stars) is shining a light on the selfless contributions of volunteers across our sporting community.
The program recognises a broad range of volunteer contributions including youth leadership, inclusive participation, innovation, long-standing service, and all-round support within clubs and sporting communities.
Local Sporting Stars is all about helping our volunteers to thrive and be recognised. It celebrates the contribution of volunteers in community sport and encourages nominations from across Western Australia.
Every fortnight, 2 volunteers are recognised with a $400 voucher and are considered for the Local Sporting Star of the Year award.
For more information and to nominate your Club's Local Sporting Star, please visit the website HERE.
Discover Sailing Month
Discover Sailing Month returns this November, and clubs and Discover Sailing Centres are encouraged to start planning their Discover Sailing Days and participation activities now. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your club, welcome new participants and give people a taste of sailing through come-and-try experiences and open days.
To support you, Australian Sailing will soon release a brand-new suite of marketing assets available on Canva including social media tiles, posters and flyers, along with dedicated resources for clubs running SheSails and Sail Our Way events. We’ll also be promoting Discover Sailing Days nationally through our website and social channels, with a focus on events listed in revSPORT to help drive participation to your club.
Keep an eye out for further information on promotional resources and campaign updates, which will be shared in the coming week.
If your Club is looking for guidance – whether in planning, participation growth, training delivery, governance, or event support – please reach out to our team. We are here to assist and are always happy to discuss how we can best support your Club.
You can find a full list of Australian Sailing Contacts – here.
We are grateful for the support of the WA Government in delivering events and initiatives. The State government is a major supporter of Australian Sailing in Western Australia. Sport and recreation builds stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities.
